Posts filed under ‘architecture’
In The Weeds. 2/14/13: Quakertown Marker Dedication
The formal dedication for the new Official Texas Historic Marker for the Quakertown Community will be held this coming Saturday February 16, 2013 at 10:00a.m. at the Denton Civic Center 321 E. McKinney St. Librarian Laura Douglas was involved in writing the historic narrative as part of the marker application process and will receive a Certificate of Commendation. You may know her from visiting the Special Collections Department here at the Fowler Library.
Joseph and Alice Skinner walk along Bell Ave. with Old Main in the distant background.
We have an exhibit of photos, books and maps of Quakertown at the Emily Fowler Library running through the end February in the Special Collections department and an archive of Quakertown history available if you wish to learn more.
Also, mark your calendars for an upcoming program at the Emily Fowler Library about Quakertown on March 23 to be presented by Kim Cupit, Curator of Collections at the Courthouse On The Square Museum.
In The Weeds, 10/6/12: Neon Cowboys and Pink Ladies
The Denton Courthouse on the Square will host a photography exhibition of the work of local historian and former city councilmember Mike Cochran entitled “Neon Cowboys and Pink Ladies” from Oct 16th to December 31th. This is a collection of photographs of neon signs in the Southwest in the 1970′s. I’m anxious to see this because I have an “old sign” fetish myself and find it nearly impossible to pass one wherever I see one without taking a picture.
Neon Cochran
Along those lines, we have the following titles at the Denton Public Library that might whet the appetite:
In The Weeds 4/22/12: Postcards From The Hedge
We have some ancient postcards here in the Special Collections Department that you might enjoy seeing. Two of the buildings depicted are gone, the others are still in existence, albeit altered physically or their names have been changed perhaps. You’ll notice that some of the postcards have names on them, but no addresses. I’ll let you figure out which one’s are gone and where and what the others are. Some are easy, a couple-not so much. Click on the picture for full view and write your guesses/answers in the “reply” box at the end of this blog post. Ready, Set….Go!
Miss Emily’s JukeJoint, 7.2.11: Pleasant Surroundings
Lets visit some late and/or lamented eateries in Denton and propose musical accompaniment for dining at each…
Back in the late ’50s-early ’60s, NTSU alum/pop star Pat Boone opened a restaurant @ 1009 Highway 24/Decatur Drive/University Drive/US 380 called “The Pat Boone Country Inn“. You can see the current location here. Below is an ad from a 1958 issue of “Denton Doings”, a short-lived magazine from that era we have here in Fowler Special Collections:
Pleasant
I love the cowhide seat covers. May I suggest some easy listening along the lines of Harry Belafonte or old rock and roll a la The Coasters.
The Star Restaurant @ 1201 W. Hickory was named for the Star of David and for its movie-themed decor. Library employee Leslie Couture: “I couldn’t wait to go there because they had a Yoda statue and light sabers. When you are a kid out to eat with your parents, you have to listen to boring parent talk but, at The Star, there was a lot of cool posters and things that you could walk around and look at.”
Star
Seems like Indian music and the Grateful Dead would be nice to have while you down a cold one at the Star.
I still miss Steve’s BBQ at 403 E. Hickory. Let me try and describe it to you because the memories of it are still very vivid, as I used to work across the street at The Greater Denton Arts Council and would frequently get some of Steve’s rockin’ BBQ. You opened the screen door to a smoky, dank room with a couple booths and yellowing newspaper articles on the walls. I swear it seemed like there was a layer of grease over everything. Near the front door was an old jukebox with late-60s, early-70s soul 45s that I guess didn’t work because I never heard it play and it was surrounded by discarded boxes and “junk”. What a playlist, though! Al Green, ZZ Hill, Little Milton, etc. And the BBQ? I’ve never had better. Spicy, hot and righteous.
BBQ Heaven
Maybe not the best photo but it does show the old Harpool complex, long since demolished. Obviously, one wants to hear what was on the jukebox. Miss Emily’s JukeJoint takes you there.
Honorable mention goes to TC’s Catfish on McKinney St. You had to have tried that catfish and tartar sauce. So goooood.
posted by Chuck
Railroad Programs at Emily Fowler Library on July 31st.
Steve Allen Goen, author of several railroad books in our collection such as “Miss Katy in the Lone Star State” and “Texas and Pacific Color Pictoral”, will be presenting a program of slide photography from the collection of Tom Hughes on July 31st at the Emily Fowler Public Library. Mr. Goen presented for us a couple years back in conjuction with a “Railroads in Denton” program created by Laura Douglas, Librarian in the Genealogy Dept. I was at the program and it was well-attended and informative. Nothing like seeing these vintage pictures projected on a large screen.
We will also have model train exhibit on the same day as well as items on display in the Genealogy Dept.
While searching for some images to accompany this blog post, I came across this posting from another blog regarding a tavern and grill start up in the old T&P building in downtown Fort Worth. http://fortworthology.com/2009/04/10/tp-tavern-and-grill/
Also related, a couple weeks back I rode part of the old T&P from Dallas to Texarkana on Amtrak as part of my vacation to Michigan. Along the way, many old stations are still intact if not actually still being used by either Amtrak or the Union Pacific RR (owners after Missouri Pacific). Here’s my pic of the Marshall, Texas Depot still in use that is located between two lines, which folks access though a tunnel. Cool.
Marshall, Texas T&P passenger station 2010
From the passenger window, the station stop in Mineola looks out on an old Missouri Pacific caboose and “The Beckham Hotel and Coffee Shop”.
Mineola, Texas station stop.
Another vignette from the passenger coach, just down the track from the Longview, Texas station: a row of buildings along a street paralleling the tracks that look as if they never left the 1930s. Here is one:
One a few old structures along UP mainline. Longview, Tx 2010
Finally, railroad landscape personified: maintenance-of-way (mow) equipment on a siding deep in East Texas, near Atlanta, with vintage structures in background.
MOW equipment, Atlanta, Tx. 2010
Railroads cut through old America. There are few better ways to trace the evolution of America’s physical and cultural landscape and to witness what we still have and what has been lost.
The much lamented “homogenization of America”, while occuring in places, is gloriously absent from the window of a passenger coach.
Dedication of the Official Texas Historical Marker for O’Neil Ford
Today, March 11th, 2009, was the dedication for the Official Texas Historical Marker for O’Neil Ford. The ceremony was held at the Emily Fowler Central Library at 10 a.m. with around 40 people in attendance. Among those were Linda E. Ford, daughter of O’Neil Ford, Boone Powell, Chairman of the Board of Ford, Powell & Carson, Inc. and Duane and Jane Landry of Landry & Landry, Architects and Planners. All of these people were also instrumental in the planning and growth of the Emily Fowler Central Library. Duane and Jane Landry were part of the 1961 renovation and Boone Powell in the 1981 renovation. Also among our crowd were members of the Denton County Historical Commission, Friends of the Denton Public Library & Library Board, as well as Mayor Mark Burroughs, and representatives from both Texas Woman’s University and the University of North Texas.
For those of you have never visited this library, there are many architectural features which can be appreciated, both inside and outside of this building. You will need to walk completely around the outside of the building to see them all. The Ford family were very talented and we are lucky to have examples of all of their works. There is a woven wall hanging behind the reference desk in the upper level that was made by Linda E. Ford, daughter of O’Neil Ford. The woodwork, especially the beautifully mounted one hanging on the North wall in the upper level, was done by Lynn Ford, brother of O’Neil Ford. The pieces on this hanging represent cast off pieces of almost every type of door that he had ever made. After his death, his daughter picked up the pieces and had artisans mount them, then gave this to the library. We are lucky to have it.
Boone Powell, Jane Landry, Linda E. Ford, and Duane Landry
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